Auger for snow excavators



1961 G. E. HORNER 2,994,973

AUGER FOR SNOW EXCAVATORS Filed Nov. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q zonas EHORNER INV EN TOR.

1961 G. E. HORNER 2,994,973

AUGER FOR SNOW EXCAVATORS I Filed Nov. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

G EORGE EHORNER AUGER FOR SNOW EXCAVATORS George E. Homer, 1150 WestSt.,' Pittsfield; Mass;

I Filed Nov. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 773,230

2 Claims. (CI. 37-43) This invention relates to material handlingequipment and more particularly to a snow excavator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an auger feed devicefor facilitating the use of power equipment for clearing a path throughheavy snow in a simple and eflicient manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an auger for snowexcavators that will effectively remove the snow from highly packed andcompressed areas without causing the motive power means to stall or beoverloaded.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an auger forhandling all types of fluent materials, such a as coal, snow, grain, andthe like in an extremely simple andeflicient operation.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an auger for materialhandling apparatus bearing the above objects in mind which is of simpleconstruction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive tomanufacture and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a snow excavator embodying an augermade in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a blank from which an auger made inaccordance with the present invention is constructed;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the blank shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of an anger assembly madein accordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 ofFIGURE 4.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a snow excavator embodyingan anger made in accordance with the present invention is shown toinclude a main frame 12 rollably supported upon a wheel and axleassembly and carrying a gasoline engine 14 and reduction gearing 16. Thefront end of the frame 12 supports a housing 18 with substantiallycylindrical wall, a back wall and a circular open front defined by saidcylindrical wall within which the auger 20, made in accordance with thepresent invention, is rotatably supported. A substantially U-shaped skidtype scoop integrally secured to the forward and lowermost concave edgeportion of said housingextends a short distance in front of saidhousing.

As is more clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawing, the auger 20includes a single, substantially circular disc 22 having a spiral scoreline 24 dividing it into a single blade with a plurality ofsubtsantially flat convoluted blade portions which when longitudinallyexpanded defines a blade of uniform width and of substantially conicalshape. A central opening 26 at the center of the disc 22 receives theouter free end of an elongated shaft 34 having a hub portion adjacentthe free end thereof and that is mounted at its opposite end upon acircular mounting vplate 30 having a plurality of radially extendingangle plates 32 which act as impellers for throwing the snow outwardlythrough the opening 40 of the housing 18. A nut 36 secures the apex endof Patented Aug. 8, 1961 ice the convoluted auger blade to the shaft 34that further acts as a stiffener for maintaining the conical shape ofthe auger. The base convolution of said blade is secured to andsupported upon the circular mounting plate 30, said blade being ofuniform width throughout its length thereby leaving its intermediateportion unattached to and spaced from the shaft 34 leaving an openpassageplate serves to bite into tightly packed snow or other materialso as to assure the proper feeding of this material rearwardly towardthe base of the auger blade and the mounting plate 30 so as to be drivenby centrifugal force and the impeller blades 32 outwardly through thedischarge opening 40. The stifiener shaft 34 main tains the proper shapeof the auger blade even when driven at substantially great force intothe material being handled, while the serrations 28 at the lead end ofthe blade assure the proper feed of the material at all times.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood' that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1-. A snow excavator type machine of the character described comprisingin combination, a portable main frame structure rollably supported upona wheel and axle assembly consisting of an axle and a pair of wheels andcarrying a gasoline engine arranged above and in contact with the rearend of said frame structure, power reduction gearing carried andarranged above and in contact with the forward end of said framestructure, a substantially circular auger housing rigidly secured to andsupported upon the forward end portion of said frame structure, saidauger housing having a substantially cylindrical wall, a back wall and acircular front opening defined by said cylindrical wall, a substantiallyU- shaped skid type scoop integrally secured to the forward andlowermost concave edge portion of said housing and extending a shortdistance in front thereof forming a concave chute through which snow andslush is gathered and conveyed rearwardly therein, a circular mountingplate, means connecting said power unit with said circular mountingplate to rotate the same within said housing, a cylindrical shaftcarried by said mounting plate and extending forwardly therefrom andextending outwardly from said housing a short distance and above saidU-shaped scoop, a single helical blade of general conical exteriorconfiguration having a plurality of convolutions of uniform width andthickness forming a hollow auger, said helical blade including asubstantially flat blade portion at its outer end defining an apexportion and a substantially fiat blade portion at its rear end defininga base portion, a circular opening at the center of said apex portion,said cylindrical shaft having its rear end secured to the centralportion of said circular mounting plate and forming a cylindricalstilfening means for said hollow auger, the forward end of said shafthaving a hub portion adjacent its outer end and the outer end of saidshaft extending through said opening in said apex portion, bolt meanssecuring said apex portion in contact with said hub portion of saidshaft,

3 means securing said base portion of said blade to said circularmounting plate, the intermediate portion of said blade being spaced fromsaid shaft leaving a substantially cylindrical passageway through whichsolid portions of snow may pass direct to said circular mounting plate,said auger housing having an opening in its top portion and equippedthereover with a discharge spout through which snow that enters the saidhousing can be discharged, said circular mounting plate comprising aplurality of radially outwardly extending angle plate impellers mountedthereon whereby said impellers throw the snow coming in contacttherewith out the opening in said housingand through said dischargespout thereabove and to one side of said snow excavator type machine.

2. The combination according to claim 1, further comprising a pluralityof radially outwardly extending impeller angle plates integral with saidcircular mounting plate and the outwardly extending portion of saidangle plates facing said apex end of said blade.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 153,807Collins Aug. 4, 1874 161,374 Arnold Mar. 30, 1875 379,345 Tow Mar. 13,1888 632,764 Stephens Sept. 12, 1899 1,392,739 Bebow Oct. 4, 19211,662,832 Nelson et al. Mar. 20, 1928 1,780,481 Hale Nov. 4, 19302,166,667 Watkins July 18, 1939 2,375,965 Turtle May 15, 1945 2,408,459Tuttle Oct. 1, 1946 2,760,624 Compton Aug. 28, 1956 2,776,505 Root Ian.8, 1957 2,882,620 Macdonald Apr. 21, 1959

